The New Zealand falcon and wind farms: a risk assessment framework

Abstract

Internationally, birds of prey are often reported as being relatively prone to collision with wind turbines in comparison to other groups of birds. However, as yet it is unclear to what extent New Zealand's only endemic bird of prey, the New Zealand falcon (Falco novaeseelandiae), is at risk. In this paper we summarise the potential for wind farms to impact New Zealand falcon, evaluate the efficacy of a range of risk assessment and post-consent monitoring practices, and present options for mitigating and/or offsetting any residual effects. We conclude that the lack of knowledge on the effects of wind farms on New Zealand falcon is the result of inconsistency in the assessment methods thus far employed and the absence of a coordinated approach to monitoring methods and the dissemination of results. To remedy this we present a risk assessment framework that, if adopted, will provide the information necessary to ensure alternative energy targets can be met without compromising the conservation of this threatened species.     

松籽油的干式酶法提取工艺优化与理化性质分析

应用单因素实验设计对干式酶法松籽油提取工艺进行优化。结果表明,干式酶法提取松籽油最佳制备工艺为：0.2%淀粉酶、料液比为6：1、酶解温度为55℃、酶解时间为8 h,所得最大出油率为90.2%,残油率为6.2%。经检测最佳制备条件提取的松籽油不饱和脂肪酸的含量为90.09%,其中油酸含量为26.84%,介酸含量为2.41%、亚油酸含量为46.25%、皮诺敛酸为14.59%;饱和脂肪酸中棕榈酸含量为6.5%、硬脂酸为3.41%。松籽油酸价为2.61 mg·g^-1、过氧化值为1.56 mmol·kg^-1、丙二醛含量为0.41 mg·kg^-1。所有检测结果均高于《中华人民共和国粮食行业标准LS/T 3242-2014》松籽油中质量标准的要求。     

268份人类免疫缺陷病毒抗体待确定样本的检测结果分析

为了提高实验室人类免疫缺陷病毒(human immunodeficiency virus,HIV)抗体检测能力及对免疫蛋白印迹(Western blot,WB)实验结果的判断能力,对送检至北京市东城区艾滋病确证实验室的268份HIV抗体待确定样本进行确证实验及结果分析。按照试剂说明书和实验室标准作业程序(Standard Operation Procedure,SOP)操作对送检的全部样本进行WB确证实验;了解HIV筛查实验结果与确证实验结果的相关性,并分析不同送检机构、送检人群样本的检测结果差异以及不同试剂、不同检测方法的结果差异。结果显示在筛查出抗体待确定的268份样本中,确证阳性170份,阳性率63.43%;确证阴性51份,阴性率19.03%;不确定结果47份,占筛查有反应的17.54%。确证阳性病例来自监管场所、自愿咨询检测门诊(Voluntary Counseling and Test,VCT)和医疗机构,不同送检单位及不同人群的阳性样本率有显著统计学意义(P<0.01)。WB确证阳性样本带型以全条带和次全条带为主,且所有确证阳性标本均来自双试剂阳性样本。不同检测方法阳性样本率的差异有显著统计学意义(P<0.01),其中化学发光法的样本阳性率占46.27%,酶联免疫吸附实验(ELISA)占88.29%,胶体硒法占43.48%。本研究结果提示,对潜在HIV感染者,应扩大检测面,加强医疗机构检测,并提供一种以上方法的多次检测,以减少漏检的风险。     

尺神经原位松解术与尺神经皮下前置术治疗肘管综合征近期疗效比较的回顾性研究

目的:比较尺神经原位松解术与尺神经皮下前置术治疗肘管综合征(CuTS)近期疗效。方法:本研究为回顾性研究,选取2016年7月～2017年7月期间我院二部收治的60例CuTS患者,根据手术方式的不同分为A组(n=32,尺神经原位松解术)和B组(n=28,尺神经皮下前置术),比较两组患者优良率、并发症、围术期指标、感觉运动功能(肌力、小指指端两点辨别觉、神经传导速度)以及DASH上肢功能障碍(DASH)评分。结果:B组术后12个月的优良率为92.86%(26/28),高于A组的68.75%(22/32)(P0.05)。两组术后并发症总发生率比较差异无统计学意义(P0.05)。两组术后12个月肌力、神经传导速度升高,且B组高于A组(P0.05),两组术后12个月小指指端两点辨别觉降低,且B组低于A组(P0.05)。两组术后3个月、术后6个月、术后12个月DASH评分呈下降趋势,且B组低于A组(P0.05)。B组手术切口长度、手术时间长于A组(P0.05),两组术后住院时间比较差异无统计学意义(P0.05)。结论:与尺神经原位松解术相比,尺神经皮下前置术治疗CuTS患者,虽然手术切口长度、手术时间相对较长,但其优良率更高,同时可有效恢复患者感觉运动功能及减轻其上肢功能障碍,且不增加并发症发生率,具有一定的临床应用价值。     

Semilunar postlarval settlement periodicity ensuing from semilunar larval release cycle in the Nihonotrypaea harmandi (Crustacea,Decapoda, Axiidea,Callianassidae) population on an intertidal sandflat in an open marine coastal embayment

Many decapod crustaceans in marine intertidal habitats release larvae toward coastal oceans, from which postlarvae (decapodids: settling-stage larvae) return home. Decapodid settlement processes are poorly understood. Previous studies showed that in Kyushu, Japan, the callianassid shrimp population on an intertidal sandflat of an open bay joining the coastal ocean near a large estuary released eight batches of larvae basically in a semilunar cycle from June through October and that decapodids performed diel vertical migration, occurring in the water column nocturnally. We conducted (a) frequent sampling for population density and size-composition on the sandflat through one reproductive season, (b) planktonic and benthic sampling for decapodids around the bay mouth, and (c) current meter deployment at three points across the bay mouth for tidal harmonic analysis. On the sandflat, six batches of newly-settled decapodids (settlers) occurred in a semilunar periodicity until October, with peaks occurring 0–3 days before syzygy dates except for the first one. For larval Batches 1–4, buoyancy-driven shoreward subsurface currents during July to mid-October would transport some pre-decapodid-stage larvae (zoeae) toward the bay. The absence of expected settler Batches 7–8 would be due to the converse subsurface currents caused by water-column mixing and seasonal winds after mid-October, carrying zoeae offshore. Once in the bay, phasing of night and nighttime-averaged shoreward tidal current explained the settlement pattern for Batches 1–4. For Batches 5–6 occurring in mid-September to mid-October, water currents generated by seasonal wind and tidal forcings may have caused peak settlement after the time expected from tidally-driven decapodid transport.     

Plant community composition steers grassland vegetation via soil legacy effects

Soil legacy effects are commonly highlighted as drivers of plant community dynamics and species co‐existence. However, experimental evidence for soil legacy effects of conditioning plant communities on responding plant communities under natural conditions is lacking. We conditioned 192 grassland plots using six different plant communities with different ratios of grasses and forbs and for different durations. Soil microbial legacies were evident for soil fungi, but not for soil bacteria, while soil abiotic parameters did not significantly change in response to conditioning. The soil legacies affected the composition of the succeeding vegetation. Plant communities with different ratios of grasses and forbs left soil legacies that negatively affected succeeding plants of the same functional type. We conclude that fungal‐mediated soil legacy effects play a significant role in vegetation assembly of natural plant communities.     

Rainfall manipulation experiments as simulated by terrestrial biosphere models: Where do we stand?

Changes in rainfall amounts and patterns have been observed and are expected to continue in the near future with potentially significant ecological and societal consequences. Modelling vegetation responses to changes in rainfall is thus crucial to project water and carbon cycles in the future. In this study, we present the results of a new model‐data intercomparison project, where we tested the ability of 10 terrestrial biosphere models to reproduce the observed sensitivity of ecosystem productivity to rainfall changes at 10 sites across the globe, in nine of which, rainfall exclusion and/or irrigation experiments had been performed. The key results are as follows: (a) Inter‐model variation is generally large and model agreement varies with timescales. In severely water‐limited sites, models only agree on the interannual variability of evapotranspiration and to a smaller extent on gross primary productivity. In more mesic sites, model agreement for both water and carbon fluxes is typically higher on fine (daily–monthly) timescales and reduces on longer (seasonal–annual) scales. (b) Models on average overestimate the relationship between ecosystem productivity and mean rainfall amounts across sites (in space) and have a low capacity in reproducing the temporal (interannual) sensitivity of vegetation productivity to annual rainfall at a given site, even though observation uncertainty is comparable to inter‐model variability. (c) Most models reproduced the sign of the observed patterns in productivity changes in rainfall manipulation experiments but had a low capacity in reproducing the observed magnitude of productivity changes. Models better reproduced the observed productivity responses due to rainfall exclusion than addition. (d) All models attribute ecosystem productivity changes to the intensity of vegetation stress and peak leaf area, whereas the impact of the change in growing season length is negligible. The relative contribution of the peak leaf area and vegetation stress intensity was highly variable among models.     

Winds at departure shape seasonal patterns of nocturnal bird migration over the North Sea

On their migratory journeys, terrestrial birds can come across large inhospitable areas with limited opportunities to rest and refuel. Flight over these areas poses a risk especially when wind conditions en route are adverse, in which case inhospitable areas can act as an ecological barrier for terrestrial migrants. Thus, within the east-Atlantic flyway, the North Sea can function as an ecological barrier. The main aim of this study was to shed light on seasonal patterns of bird migration in the southern North Sea and determine whether departure decisions on nights of intense migration were related to increased wind assistance. We measured migration characteristics with a radar that was located 18 km off the NW Dutch coast and used simulation models to infer potential departure locations of birds on nights with intense nocturnal bird migration. We calculated headings, track directions, airspeeds, groundspeeds on weak and intense migration nights in both seasons and compared speeds between seasons. Moreover, we tested if departure decisions on intense migration nights were associated with supportive winds. Our results reveal that on the intense migration nights in spring, the mean heading was towards E, and birds departed predominantly from the UK. On intense migration nights in autumn, the majority of birds departed from Denmark, Germany and north of the Netherlands with the mean heading towards SW. Prevailing winds from WSW at departure were supportive of a direct crossing of the North Sea in spring. However, in autumn winds were generally not supportive, which is why many birds exploited positive wind assistance which occurred on intense migration nights. This implies that the seasonal wind regimes over the North Sea alter its migratory dynamics which is reflected in headings, timing and intensity of migration.     

不同熟化措施对黑土母质发育的新成土壤有机碳库的影响

基于8年田间定位试验,采用土壤团聚体分组和闭蓄态微团聚体分离技术,将土壤有机质分为总粗颗粒有机质(活性碳库)、总细颗粒有机质(慢性碳库)和总粉黏粒(惰性碳库) 3个组分,探讨不同熟化措施对黑土母质发育而成的新成土壤总有机碳库及不同活性有机碳库的影响,为黑土严重侵蚀地区母质表露后土壤肥力的快速恢复提供依据。试验设置自然恢复(NatF)、苜蓿种植(Alfa)、无肥(F0C0)、化肥(F1C0)、低量有机肥与化肥配施(F1C1)、高量有机肥与化肥配施(F1C2)等6个熟化处理。结果表明:黑土母质经过8年不同熟化处理后,土壤总有机碳和各组分有机碳含量均显著提高;与NatF相比,有机肥与化肥配施(F1C2和F1C1)对土壤总有机碳的提升作用最为明显,增幅分别为60.7%和41.2%;Alfa其次,增幅18. 2%;F0C0或F1C0处理土壤总有机碳与NatF间无显著差异;F1C2和F1C1处理土壤3个组分有机碳含量均显著高于其他熟化处理,与F1C1相比,F1C2处理对各组分有机碳提升作用更为明显;与NatF相比,Alfa处理土壤有机碳的增加主要表现为粉黏粒结合有机碳的增加;F1C0和F0C0处理土壤总细颗粒有机质和总粉黏粒中有机碳与NatF间无显著差异,总粗颗粒有机质中有机碳含量低于NatF。研究表明,在米豆轮作和传统耕作体系下,农田生态系统高量有机物料投入配施化肥能够加速黑土母质的熟化进程,快速提高土壤中活性碳库和惰性碳库的容量,是严重退化黑土有机质快速提升的有效措施。